Time Management
Survey says better use of idle time on daily commute would help close Canada's productivity gap with U.S.Get some work done on the daily commuteJust when you thought your daily commute could provide a respite from your busy workday, a new survey suggests that "idle" time could be put to use. SUN WIRE SERVICES |
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 [ 2007-07-11 ] |
SUN file photo.
Converting idle time into productive time on daily work commutes could help reduce Canada's productivity gap with the United States, according to a survey of mass commuters in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, conducted by Decima Research and Intel of Canada.
240 HOURS PER YEAR
The Intel Commuter Survey found that half of all mass transit respondents spend about 240 hours per year travelling to and from their workplace. Converting just 40 minutes of that average daily one-hour commute into productive work would eliminate the gap in additional hours worked by the average American, which is currently 164 more hours per year and still under the 40 hours a week average.
"It's not about working longer, it's about Canadian commuters making better use of their time," said Doug Cooper, country manager, Intel of Canada.
"Taking that down time commuting on mass transit and converting it to productive time potentially reduces the need to stay later at the office, provides flexibility for employees and increases productivity for the employer," he said.
Traffic congestion around urban centres is forcing more and more Canadians to turn to mass transit and an average one-hour commute, according to the Intel of Canada survey.
Twelve per cent of Canadians use public transportation for work, according to Statistics Canada, but only 11% of organizations help workers make the best use of that time by providing them with access to a laptop or enabling commuting alternatives, Cooper said.
"Providing portable devices such as computer notebooks, increasing the availability of reliable wireless access and establishing national telecommuting policies are just three examples of the opportunities that corporations need to consider," Cooper said. "While closing the productivity gap is a complex issue involving increasing automation and knowledge- management efficiencies, reducing idle commuting time is a relatively simple step," he added.
Employees stand to gain personally from increasing their productivity. According to the Toronto-based Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, closing the existing "prosperity gap" of economic potential between Canada and the U.S. would translate into an increase of nearly $12,000 in disposable income to an average household.
REMOTE TELECOMMUTING
Only 26% of respondents to the Intel Commuter survey said their employers have a "work-from-home" policy, as compared to 40% of private sector companies, and all public sector agencies, in the U.S.
"Over the last few years we've learned organizations and employees are better off when employees can work remotely," Cooper said. "Being able to work from home, leave early to get to the cottage or work on the train provides employees with increased flexibility, which leads to increased productivity."
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